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Theresa May has said a ‘disorderly Brexit’ is in no-one’s interests as she continues to push her deal at a summit in Brussels.

With just nine weeks left until we leave the EU, the British Prime Minister admitted there was still work to do to convince UK politicians to back her.

Earlier today Mrs May clashed with European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker after he criticised her vague negotiating skills.

Theresa May is still pushing ahead with her Brexit deal (Picture: Reuters)

She admitted they had a ‘robust discussion’ but said she had been ‘crystal clear’ about the need for further assurances over the Irish backstop issue.

Mrs May said: ‘It is in the interests of the EU and the UK to get this over the line. A disorderly Brexit would be good for no-one.’

The embattled Tory leader is in Belgium trying to win fresh concessions over her Brexit deal in order to get it through a heavily divided House of Commons.

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While EU leaders have made it clear there are no new negotiations, they have offered to provide clarity on the terms of the Irish backstop, designed to keep the border open.

Critics are concerned this backstop will tie us into the EU indefinitely if new trade deals can’t be made.

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Today, Mrs May said the EU had made it clear it was their intention that it never needed to be used.

And, if it was, it would be only temporary and all sides would work ‘expeditiously’ on a replacement.

No doubt hoping to put some Brexiteers fears to rest, she said: ‘As formal conclusions, these commitments have legal status and therefore should be welcomed.

But she said she had discussed with EU leaders, including Mr Juncker and Council President Donald Tusk, the fact that MPs would require ‘further assurances’.

She added: ‘The EU is clear, as I am, that if we are going to leave with a deal, this is it.

It’s been a trying week for the Prime Minister (Picture: Reuters)

‘But my discussions with colleagues today have shown that further clarification and discussion following the council’s conclusions is in fact possible.

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‘There is work still to do and we will be holding talks in coming days about how to obtain the further assurances that the UK Parliament needs in order to be able to approve the deal.’

She said: ‘It is in the overwhelming interest of all our people in the EU and the UK to get this done and as quickly as possible.’

Video footage emerged of Mrs May in a heated conversation with Mr Junker in which she took him to task for saying her address to the 27 remaining states had been ‘nebulous and imprecise.’

Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker had a ‘robust’ discussion after he called her Brexit negotiations ‘nebulous’

She stormed over to him and, according to lip readers, said: ‘What did you call me? You called me nebulous.’

Addressing the spat at a press conference, Mrs May admitted: ‘I had a robust discussion with Jean-Claude Juncker – I think that’s the sort of discussion you’re able to have when you have developed a working relationship and you work well together.

‘And what came out of that was his clarity that actually he’d been talking – when he used that particular phrase – he’d been talking about a general level of debate.’

Mrs May said preparations were being stepped up in the event of a no deal and the UK crashes out of the bloc on March 29.

‘The government is making no deal preparations and has stepped them up. I believe it is better to leave with a deal; a good deal.’